Houses
by BookRead
Summary: One shot sequel to Love Conquers All. Freda Molly Potter asks her parents some awkward questions, James and Albus are just plain cute and Lily is just a bump. PURE FLUFF sorry!


**Houses**

"Daddy!" Harry Potter's two sons called out as they rushed towards their father.

Harry hugged the boys close and then picked them up to carry them through to the kitchen.

"Shouldn't you both be in bed?" Harry asked.

Three year old James smiled innocently at his father and little Albus hugged his dad tighter as he sucked on the sleeve of his blue pyjama top.

"Mummy let us stay up until you came home because she said it was your turn to tuck us in tonight." James explained.

Harry put his precious boys down as he entered the kitchen. He indicated to his boys that they should keep quiet as he silently watched his wife. Ginny Potter didn't notice him as she stirred some cake mix around in a giant bowl; her tongue was stuck out in concentration. The giant bowl was balancing on the large bump of her stomach and Harry could see a streak if flour across her cheek. On one of the chairs next to the kitchen table sat another sight that made Harry grin. Nine year old Freda Molly Potter was drawing on a sheet of parchment and just like her mother she had her tongue stuck out in concentration. With the silent grace of an auror Harry snuck through the kitchen, stopping briefly to kiss his daughter on the head. Ginny still didn't notice him until he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"Harry! You gave me such a fright!" she shrieked.

"Sorry dear," he apologised. He kissed her deeply until he heard Freda clear her throat loudly. "Shall I take this lot off to bed?"

"If you wouldn't mind." Ginny replied. "Freda love, you'll have to pack up."

The two boys grumbled but allowed their dad to herd them up the stairs.

"You have another half an hour and then it's your turn to go to bed." Harry told his daughter as he left the kitchen and then he carried on upstairs to the room his two boys shared.

He lifted one year old Albus into the cot at one side of the room as James clambered into his bed on the other side.

"Do you two want music or a story tonight?" Harry asked them once he had tucked them safely into their beds.

"Music!" James demanded.

Harry turned to ask Albus what he wanted but the tiny boy had already fallen asleep with one thumb in his mouth and the other hand clutching at blue and gold blanket his grandmother had knitted him. Harry stroked the thin reddish black hair on his youngest forehead. He turned to James who was watching him avidly.

"Music it is my boy."

He kissed the older boy's forehead and brushed his dark hair out of his bright brown eyes. As the boy's eyes drifted shut Harry pointed his wand at the light in the centre of the room. It dimmed and began to spin lazily, projecting multicoloured shapes onto the walls of the nursery and emitting some gentle music to soothe the children into sleep. He closed the door behind him and walked back down to the kitchen.

"How was Ron?" Ginny asked with a smirk as Harry re-entered the kitchen.

"He's scared out of his wits with Hermione being so hormonal and the baby being late. I think he needed some man time."

"Why did he have you over then?" his wife teased.

Harry ignored her, instead turning his attention to his daughter Freda. He picked up the paper fortune teller she had made.

"Is this what you've been working on?" he asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to know what house I would be in at Hogwarts."

The little girl brushed her long dark hair out of her bright blue eyes that hadn't changed from birth. Harry looked to Ginny with a slight gulp. He wasn't sure he liked the way this conversation could go.

"Did it tell you?" Ginny asked.

"No, I think I made it wrong." The girl sighed. "Do you know what house I'll be in?" she asked looking at her parents.

"The sorting hat will put you in whatever house suits you best." Harry answered, nervously.

"And remember that we will love you no matter what house that is." His wife agreed. The pregnant woman walked over to her daughter and gave her a kiss. "Enough questions for tonight. It's bedtime for you."

Freda grumbled all the way up the stairs until Harry tucked her safely under her bedcovers.

"What story would you like tonight sweetheart? How about the time me and your uncles had to go to the Yule ball? Or the tale of the three brothers?" Harry suggested.

"Tell me that one about the princess and the evil man." The girl demanded as she pulled her hair round to braid it.

"That one? I told you that one just last week!"

"I know but it's my favourite. Please Daddy!" she begged.

"Alright," Harry sighed. "Once upon a time there was is princess."

"Was she a beautiful princess?" Freda asked as she settled down for the story.

"Yes, she was the most beautiful princess in the world. Unfortunately there was an awful war going on. An evil man was hurting lots of people and because he especially wanted to hurt the prince that was in love with the princess he did an awful thing."

"He got her to have a baby?"

"Well, it wasn't awful that she was having a baby; it was because he had forced her to do it while she was in love with the prince."

"But the prince killed the man, didn't he?"

"Yep, and the prince declared his love to the princess. They got married soon after and the prince cared for the child like it was his own."

"He loved it?"

"Well, he would never admit it to his other children but the prince often felt like he loved her just a little bit more. She was special to him because he was able to see her birth."

"What happened to the princess' baby after that?"

Harry frowned a little trying to think.

"You know, I'm not sure. I think that part is still being written."

"Oh... ok." The girl let her eyes droop down. "Daddy?"

"Yes dear?"

"How are babies made?"

The young father gulped. He hadn't expected that question until she was in her teens.

"Well... when a mommy and daddy love each other very much-"

"But daddy the princess in the story was made to have a baby by the evil man that she didn't love!"

Harry gulped again. Freda was too intelligent for him.

"How about I tell you later, when you aren't tired?"

"Ok." Freda yawned.

Harry stayed sat beside his daughter until he heard her breathing go steady. He brushed a kiss against her forehead and went to his own room.

"Tired love?" he asked his wife.

Ginny was already lying in bed as he got changed.

"Exhausted," she sighed as she snuggled against him under their bedcovers.

With a flick of his wand Harry switched off the lights and huddled against his wife. He breathed in the strawberry scent of her shampoo and slipped his hand round to her stomach as he had done every night through each of her pregnancies since they had been married.

"What was the story tonight?" Ginny asked him in the darkness.

"Ours."

"She likes that story a lot. I think she likes the idea that the prince was so good." Ginny slipped her hand over Harry's and gave it a squeeze. They both felt the baby kick and chuckled slightly. "Someone's awake tonight." Ginny laughed.

"Speaking of which, Freda asked me how babies are made."

"Oh dear, did you say what mum advised?"

"The thing about parents who love each other very much sending for the stork?"

"Yes."

"It didn't work, she remembered that the princess didn't love the evil man in the story and completely wrecked that theory. I said we could talk about it when she was more awake."

"Coward." Smirked Ginny.

Harry hugged her tightly to him.

"You try being in that position; you would back out too." Harry ran a hand down to Ginny's hip and squeezed it as he kissed her neck. "How tired are you, my love?"

Ginny turned to face him. She kissed his forehead right where his scar was. Then she kissed his cheek, an eye, his nose and then finally reached his mouth.

"Not that tired." She whispered.

_A cute little one shot for you while you wait for me to get a move on._

_The sequel will be Freda's journey of self discovery from first year at Hogwarts to about her forth year. It will probably still be quite short and also might have a higher rating than usual. Tell me what house you think she will be in – I love to see who gets it right and who gets it wrong. Remember to review as they make me feel loved!_


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